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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Apophenia is the experience of seeing patterns or connections in random or meaningless data.

Pareidolia, a type of Apophenia, involves more auditory senses such as hearing.

Many skeptics of the paranormal claim that this is what is happening when Paranormal Investigators claim to have gotten an EVP; or when we claim to have captured an image of someone or something on video or in a photograph.

I can see this being the result of our “minds playing tricks on us” at times, but what about the others? The times when you are certain that you have, in fact, captured something paranormal. I personally have seen and heard several instances of Apophenia and Pareidolia. I have also seen and heard sounds and images that I believe to be 100% paranormal.

In this field, we have to be very skeptical when it comes to evidence. We, as paranormal investigators, owe it to the client that calls us into to their home to be upfront and honest about our findings. If the skeptics are correct, that all of the EVPs and unusual images that have been captured over the years are just our mind playing tricks on us? If so, what about the client? These individuals are contacting total strangers, asking them to come into their homes, and find out what is happening. If all of this is just our mind playing tricks, what about the client? Are their minds playing tricks on them as well? I think not.

Millions of people around the world claim to have had some experience, which they believe to be paranormal. What about when someone sees a full body apparition? Is that their mind playing tricks on them too? I don’t think so.

I know what I believe, but what about you? Do you think that Apophenia and Pareidolia are valid explanations for electronic voice phemenon and our paranormal images? Why or why not?